January 29, 2015
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
The Schuylkill River Trail runs along the eastern banks of the waterway as it passes through Philadelphia.
Philadelphia's outdoor trails are about to get a lot more expansive.
The William Penn Foundation awarded $8.6 million in grants to the Circuit Coalition, an outdoor trail advocacy group made up of several other organizations. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) — both members of the Circuit Coalition — will be responsible for distributing the funds. The money will be used to add more trails, create better waterfront access and raise awareness.DVRPC will use $7 million in grants — over a period of three years — to design and engineer trails. Meanwhile, the RTC will utilize $1.6 million to develop a communications program to create awareness and promote the area's trails to the public.
The DVRPC said in a press release:
“We have made tremendous progress toward completion of the Circuit, and this $7 million grant from the William Penn Foundation will advance development of key segments of this emerging regional trail network with a focus on urban communities,” said Barry Seymour, DVRPC Executive Director. “Specifically, new funding will provide support to trails at key planning, engineering, and construction stages, leveraging and maximizing regional investment in these facilities. We will identify the high-priority trail projects and help make them happen.”
The Circuit Coalition has added more than 300 miles of trails to the Philadelphia region. The grants will contribute to the Coalition's plans to add 450 more miles of trails to the Philadelphia region.
